


LAPS AROUND THE SUN

by liaratsonis



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-18
Updated: 2012-06-18
Packaged: 2017-11-08 01:16:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/437528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liaratsonis/pseuds/liaratsonis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of drabbles chronicling John and James' relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	LAPS AROUND THE SUN

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this sitting in my Google docs for ages and it wasn't going any farther. I decided I like where it leaves off at enough to post it.
> 
> I've got about ten of these planned, but it could end up being more or less. Probably more. I'm not the quickest writer ever, but I'm going to try to write something everyday this summer, whether it's for this or another series I have planned.
> 
> Rating is tentative, and may go up to mature, depending on how I decide to write a /certain/ scene. I hope you enjoy!

It had been two weeks since the destruction of the Bahak system, and the loss of several hundred thousand people. Shepard was responsible for it, he knew that, but he didn’t know what else he could do. He let them take him in, detain him; he let them believe he was the bad guy. Shepard only wished that were true. _Just one man_. Hell of a lot easier to beat than the real enemy.

If it wasn’t enough to be locked away in a room, he was given a guardian. Someone named James Vega. _Lieutenant_. He wasn’t so bad, truthfully, Shepard just didn’t like having to be supervised. Like a child. Especially by someone who had been an _actual child_ when Shepard enlisted.

It was an unfair judgement, he realized. Vega was young, but his face showed experience. It had hardened long before then. That’s not what Shepard saw first. It had been the sheer bulk of him. The heaviness of his shoulders, the barrel chest, the prominent curve of his bicep even though he wasn’t flexing (or was he?). All muscle. For show, but functional. Not all pretty-boy aesthetics. Still damn distracting though.

James sat in a chair in the corner, leaned back and arms crossed against his chest. Shepard wondered how his arms could even bend. “Seems strange,” he said, his voice filling the room.

Startled by the sudden break in silence, Shepard realized he’d been staring. He wondered if James had noticed. “What seems strange?” he replied.

“Watching over you,” James grimaced, “or whatever. You know what I mean. _Commander Shepard_.” He exhaled deeply before shaking his head.

“I’m not a superhero, Lieutenant,” Shepard said, finally averting his eyes.

The chair squeaked as James shifted his weight, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. He cupped his hands between his knees. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Shepard could knew the lieutenant was staring at him then. He didn’t look back. Instead he breathed an idle chuckle meant only for himself. _Commander Shepard_. Funny. You get arrested for destroying an entire Batarian system and you’re still the big goddamn hero.


End file.
